Scintillo String Quartet in Suffolk

As a Suffolk-based string quartet, we are delighted to perform extensively throughout our home county for weddings, special occasions & concerts. In this article we’d love to share a bit more about our work and a few of the places we regularly play.

Since our formation in 2004, we are proud to have become acknowledged as one of the foremost suppliers in our local events industry in venues both close to home, and in the nearby counties of East Anglia. We have become renowned for our professionalism, beautiful performances and the commitment to our clients and the venues and events professionals who recommend our work.

Our local heritage…

Located in Woodbridge, the Scintillo String Quartet ‘headquarters’ finds itself in a beautiful & historic market town which has strong links with the Arts. The magnificence of Snape Maltings is only 10 miles away and beautiful venues such as the Ipswich Corn Exchange, St Peter’s in Framingham & The Apex in Bury Saint Edmunds are all easily accessible.

In fact, Suffolk has a strong history of growing and attracting some of the finest and most eminent composers & musicians. Benjamin Britten was born in the North Suffolk seaside town of Lowestoft, Imogen Holst made Aldeburgh her home and Ed Sheeran was raised here…is it any surprise that Suffolk boasts a thriving music service, Suffolk Music Hub, and educational programmes such as Britten Pears Arts for emerging musicians?  Chris & Paul even remember performing as primary school children during the Schools Celebration of Music events…but we won’t say exactly how long ago!

Invariably, our musicians themselves have benefitted from involvement in such a rich heritage alongside further training with some of the most respected teachers and mentors, at specialist music schools, university and conservatories (most notably at the Menuhin & Purcell Schools and winning scholarships to Cambridge University, Trinity College of Music and the Royal College and Royal Academy of Music).

Our location…

We are in close proximity to some wonderful venues & events planners who recommend us, and it has been such a pleasure to build happy working relationships with them.  In no particular order, we’d love to share more about a few of them with you.

The majestic Hengrave Hall is a Grade 1 listed Tudor mansion, in the West Suffolk village of Hengrave near to Bury Saint Edmunds. A private chapel is just footsteps away from the main house, allowing couples to choose between a church wedding or civil ceremony in the house, or both! We often play for a civil ceremony and then join the wedding party with our music for a chapel blessing, accompanying hymns too. The West Terrace overlooks a beautifully landscaped garden with sweeping lawns, perfect for spring and summer champagne receptions, & the grandeur of the inner courtyard has been a wonderful setting for us to perform for many romantic first dances. Delicious and exclusive catering services are provided by Milsoms Weddings and in fact we often hop across to Essex to perform at their own venues, Le Talbooth & Milsoms in Dedham.  Alongside offering in-house wedding coordination the expertise of the Hengrave team extends to All Saints Hotel,a luxury hotel and spa.

"We are thrilled to have Scintillo as part of our recommended suppliers here at Hengrave Hall, they are such dedicated & talented individuals who really bring the musical aspect of a wedding day to life.  They are a pleasure a work with & we always look forward to welcoming them back to Hengrave Hall".   
Jennie Darling - Venue Executive &  Wedding Coordinator at Hengrave Hall

Just outside of Woodbridge, Easton Grange is nestled along the banks of the river Deben and combines the rural charm of traditional oak beamed Suffolk barns with the contemporary feel of a specially renovated events venue, complete with beautiful onsite accommodation for the bride  & groom. Live music sounds wonderful and we have performed for many occasions here. The two spacious barns (the Ceremony Barn has a lovely mezzanine floor from which we often play), are linked by a bar area and have a light and airy feel.The beautifully maintained courtyard and grounds give plenty of shade for outdoor performances too, and their in-house catering by Snooty Goose is scrumptious!  The bridge over the river is a wonderful spot for couples to have photos together, and the rolling fields which back onto the venue offer another expansive backdrop. Led by owners Sian & Ally, we played for their parents Golden Wedding Anniversary, and Alice, their fabulous Events Manager, we always feel like one of the team here.

"When Scintillo play at our venue, we know we are in great hands and our mind is at rest...they play all styles of music beautifully and as a friendly and approachable team, they present themselves professionally and punctually.   I wouldn't hesitate in recommending them to anyone looking for experienced events musicians....and they're a fun bunch to work with too!" 
Alice Mayhew - Events Manager at Easton Grange

Glemham Hall is set in 300 acres of parkland in one of Suffolk’s prettiest villages, Little Glemham. Glemham Hall offers a 16th Century house with a charming Great Hall, a summerhouse set within a wonderful rose garden and St Andrew’s Church is just a five minute stroll from the main house - a short walk we have made with our instruments on many occasions as we have moved with the wedding party from the ceremony to drinks reception. A luxurious marquee is also tucked within the gardens and is perfect for dinner and evening celebrations. Donna and her team are dedicated to ensuring each event they host runs smoothly and we’re always delighted to work alongside them.

The beautiful Tudor Barn is an immaculately and sustainably restored barn located in Belstead, not far from Ipswich and close to the Essex border. Blending old with new, Tudor Barn is a flexible space for weddings and events, and has maintained a quirky and unique feel. We always receive a warm welcome here and personable and supportive in-house coordination is always delivered expertly; some couples decide to enhance this by engaging the services of Louisa May Weddings, who works closely with Henry and the team at Tudor Barn.

The Wilderness Reserve in Sibton is a beautiful countryside retreat perfect for luxurious staycations, destination weddings, and intimate family events and celebrations.  We have given private house concerts here, and provided music to accompany dinners, celebrations, masked balls and weddings. With several locations across the estate, music can be tailored to reflect the setting you choose to celebrate in.

Tori and Caroline are The Wedding Planners who bring enjoyment, experience & an extensive knowledge of the events industry to any event they’re planning.  They’ve often invited us too contribute to their clients’ luxurious and personal events with our music - this pair really know how to utilise the very best suppliers in East Anglia to enhance any occasion.

"Chris and his fellow musicians are an absolute joy to work with. As Wedding Planners, when we find kind, reliable, talented and all-round-brilliant suppliers to work with, we never want to let them go! Whenever our couples or clients require an adaptable, high quality service, we know Scintillo will deliver.  We're proud to recommend them to our couples, purely because they are excellent at what they do.  Here's to many more years working together."
Tori & Caroline - The Wedding Planners

We are always so happy to join forces with the Suffolk based pianist and arranger Daniel Law, with whom we provide bespoke piano and string combinations. A fabulous musician and friend to Scintillo.

The brilliant Claire who owns Lavender & Jude, a charming bridal boutique in Bungay has helped so many of our brides select the dresses of their dreams. We’ve spent many open events together at Glemham Hall & Easton Grange and her ethos reflects our own - passion, honesty and a desire to support the individuality of our respective clients.

And what can we say about the wonderful photographer Dominic Whiten? We often work alongside Dominic in venues across Suffolk, and having seen him in action can wholeheartedly recommend him.  Humility, humour, completely non-obtrusive whist still managing to effortlessly capture documentary style images.  Dominic's work speaks for itself so much that our viola player Paul chose him to photograph his wedding.

In writing this article, we haven't managed to mention all of the wonderful people with whom we work.  We feel so very privileged to be based in fabulous Suffolk,  with a wealth of individuals, venues and businesses who share our own passion for the work we are collectively part of for all of you, our clients.